Pre-assisting microwave-assisted magnetic recording with spin-torque nano-oscillators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12597436-B2
Application number	US-202418751004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2024
Priority date	Jun 21, 2024
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

The present embodiments relate to a pre-assisting microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) (PA-MAMR) write-head structure where the STO is disposed within a leading shield (LS). The STO can be used to pump energy into the media before the writing process. The STO can also pre-excite the media and let the media oscillation damp over the time and then switch under the writer field. The present embodiments can be easier to increase the magnetic volume and magnetic moment of the free layer, while also achieving a greater oscillation frequency with magnetization oscillations around the axis in the film plane.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A write head for a disk drive, the write head comprising:
a main pole (MP) configured to provide a magnetic flux to a recording medium; a trailing shield (TS) comprising a hot seed (HS) to collect a flux from the MP and increase a downtrack gradient; two side shields (SS) each disposed adjacent to the MP and configured to confine the flux in a crosstrack direction to increase a crosstrack gradient; a leading edge taper (LET) configured to create a taper in a leading side of the MP; a leading shield (LS); a set of insulator layers disposed within the LET and the LS; and a spin-torque oscillator (STO) patterned in the LS, wherein the STO includes a free magnetic layer to generate a rf field and a pinned magnetic layer as a spin polarizer, and wherein the set of insulator layers are disposed on opposing sides of the STO and configured to guide a bias current to the STO.

2 . The write head of claim 1 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an out-of-plane axis due to depositing one or more materials comprising any of cobalt (Co)/platinum (Pt) multilayers, Co/palladium (Pd) multilayers, and cobalt-iron-boron (CoFeB)/magnesium oxide (MgO) multilayers, wherein the STO exhibits a circular oscillation mode.

3 . The write head of claim 1 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an in-plane axis due to depositing one or more magnetic materials comprising any of nickel-iron (NiFe) alloys and iron-cobalt (FeCo) alloys, wherein the STO exhibits an elliptical oscillation mode or a circular oscillation mode depending on a bias current to generate linear RF signals in elliptical oscillation modes.

4 . The write head of claim 1 , wherein the pinned magnetic layer of the STO is pinned in an out-of-plane direction or an in-plane direction to provide spin torques to generate a gyromagnetic precession.

5 . The write head of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the free magnetic layer ranges from between 5 and 20 nanometers (nm), wherein a width of the free magnetic layer ranges between 30 to 400 nm, and wherein a height of the free magnetic layer ranges from 20 to 400 nm.

6 . The write head of claim 1 , wherein the STO extends into the LET, wherein offsets of the STO with respect to a center track direction reduces impact from skew angles.

7 . The write head of claim 1 , further comprising:
conductive materials disposed adjacent to a leading gap (LG) that allows the bias current to flow.

8 . A device comprising:
a main pole (MP) configured to provide a magnetic flux to a recording medium; a leading edge taper (LET) configured to create a taper in a leading side of the MP; a leading shield (LS); a set of insulator layers disposed within the LET and the LS; and a spin-torque oscillator (STO) patterned in the LS, wherein the STO includes a free magnetic layer to generate a rf field and a pinned magnetic layer as a spin polarizer, and wherein the set of insulator layers are disposed on opposing sides of the STO and configured to guide a bias current to the STO.

9 . The device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a trailing shield (TS) comprising a hot seed (HS) to collect a flux from the MP and increase a downtrack gradient; and two side shields (SS) each disposed adjacent to the MP and configured to confine the flux in a crosstrack direction to increase a crosstrack gradient.

10 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an out-of-plane axis due to depositing one or more materials comprising any of cobalt (Co)/platinum (Pt) multilayers, Co/palladium (Pd) multilayers, and cobalt-iron-boron (CoFeB)/magnesium oxide (MgO) multilayers, wherein the STO exhibits a circular oscillation mode.

11 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an in-plane axis due to depositing one or more magnetic materials comprising any of nickel-iron (NiFe) alloys and iron-cobalt (FeCo) alloys, wherein the STO exhibits an elliptical oscillation mode or a circular oscillation mode depending on a bias current to generate linear RF signals in elliptical oscillation modes.

12 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the pinned magnetic layer of the STO is pinned in an out-of-plane direction or an in-plane direction to provide spin torques to generate a gyromagnetic precession.

13 . The device of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the free magnetic layer ranges from between 5 and 20 nanometers (nm), wherein a width of the free magnetic layer ranges between 30 to 400 nm, and wherein a height of the free magnetic layer ranges from 20 to 400 nm.

14 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the STO extends into the LET, wherein offsets of the STO with respect to a center track direction reduces impact from skew angles.

15 . The device of claim 8 , further comprising:
conductive materials disposed adjacent to a leading gap (LG) that allows the bias current to flow.

16 . A write head comprising:
a main pole (MP); a trailing shield (TS) comprising a hot seed (HS); two side shields (SS) each disposed adjacent to the MP; a leading edge taper (LET); a leading shield (LS); a set of insulator layers disposed within the LET and the LS; and a spin-torque oscillator (STO) patterned in the LS, wherein the STO includes a free magnetic layer to generate a rf field and a pinned magnetic layer as a spin polarizer, and wherein the set of insulator layers are disposed on opposing sides of the STO and configured to guide a bias current to the STO.

17 . The write head of claim 16 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an out-of-plane axis due to depositing one or more materials comprising any of cobalt (Co)/platinum (Pt) multilayers, Co/palladium (Pd) multilayers, and cobalt-iron-boron (CoFeB)/magnesium oxide (MgO) multilayers, wherein the STO exhibits a circular oscillation mode.

18 . The write head of claim 16 , wherein the free magnetic layer of the STO comprises an in-plane axis due to depositing one or more magnetic materials comprising any of nickel-iron (NiFe) alloys and iron-cobalt (FeCo) alloys, wherein the STO exhibits an elliptical oscillation mode or a circular oscillation mode depending on a bias current to generate linear RF signals in elliptical oscillation modes.

19 . The write head of claim 16 , wherein a thickness of the free magnetic layer ranges from between 5 and 20 nanometers (nm), wherein a width of the free magnetic layer ranges between 30 to 400 nm, and wherein a height of the free magnetic layer ranges from 20 to 400 nm.

20 . The write head of claim 16 , wherein the STO extends into the LET, wherein offsets of the STO with respect to a center track direction reduces impact from skew angles.

Assignees

• Headway Tech Inc

Inventors

• Ren Haowen
• Chen Wenyu
• Tang Yuhui

Classifications

• G11B2005/0024

  Microwave assisted recording · CPC title

• G11B5/235

  Selection of material for gap filler {(G11B5/232 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G11B5/3116

  Shaping of layers, poles or gaps for improving the form of the electrical signal transduced, e.g. for shielding, contour effect, equalizing, side flux fringing, cross talk reduction between heads or between heads and information tracks (G11B5/3113, G11B5/245 take precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/3146

  magnetic layers · CPC title

• G11B5/1278

  specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier · CPC title